Perpetually Infantilised by Rae Sabine There is an exhaustion that comes from having to prove what others are simply given: capability, credibility, the benefit of the doubt. I’ve spent years living beneath other people’s descriptions of me, translating myself into something easier to believe, softening my certainty so it wouldn’t sound like defiance, explaining my own mind as though it required proof. I’m tired of speaking a language I never chose to learn. I’m learning inst

One of the spaces I regularly visit in VR is Life Drawing, a world dedicated to creativity. I love that there’s no expectation to create something perfect. It’s simply a chance to experiment, be curious, and explore creativity through colour, movement, and self-expression while enjoying the process. This colourful abstract piece is one I made during a recent session. Abstract Enjoyment by Rae Sabine #vrtherapy #vrsession #vrcounseling #vrarttherapy #vrart #arttherapistart

Breath of Space by Rae Sabine I created this during an Expressive Arts Therapy Supervision course. It reflects the inner space a supervisor cultivates before entering the shared space of supervision. The open centre and circling strokes became a reminder that my capacity to be present with another is shaped by the way I first attend to my own experience. By practising presence, curiosity and compassion, I am better able to meet the supervisory relationship with steadiness and

Someone had the most amazing idea to turn my cat collage into a Where’s Wally game, and I couldn’t resist! Hidden somewhere amongst all the cats is a tiny knitted hat. If you find it while you’re visiting, you get to move it to a new spot on the collage before you leave for the next person to find. I can’t wait to see how long this little tradition lasts. #catcollage #whereswally #whereswaldo #therapygame #catsarethebest #arttherapistart

WIKIPEDIA by Rae Sabine Ankylosing spondylitis Ankylosing spondylitis. A type of arthritis. Disease spectrum. Axial spondyloarthritis. Ankylos meaning crooked, curved, rounded. Spondylos meaning vertebra. -itis meaning inflammation. Long term inflammation of the joints of the spine, where the spine joins the pelvis. Lower back pain, hallmark. Eye and gastrointestinal problems. Arthritis of other joints. Joint mobility worsens over time. Progression of symptoms. Ankylosing spo

Art collab with Lucian. I created the background and Lucian added mushrooms, leaves, snails, texture and colour through cut, layer, assemble. It felt like play and meaning making at once, like ecosystems and identity: complex, interconnected, ever changing. Nature doesn’t conform, it expands, adapts, transforms. Nature is queer. Find @lucent.flow work here: https://linktr.ee/lucentflow #lucentflow #enbyart #linoprint #collabart #natureisqueer #arttherapistart

CATalog by Rae Sabine I made this work during a time when I found myself searching for glimmers; those small moments that remind us life still holds beauty, softness and hope. Each cat became another tiny moment of joy, carefully collected and placed until they formed an overwhelming catalogue of comfort. What begins as chaos slowly becomes an invitation to pause, explore and notice. Finding glimmers isn’t about ignoring what’s happening in the world. Sometimes, it’s exactly

Repair by Rae Sabine I gave my words, clear and chosen, the ones that fit who I am today. For a moment I felt recognised. Then old language was laid over me again, as if I hadn’t already set it down. A boundary was agreed to, then not held. I held my line. A boundary, not a breach. Later came silence where repair should have been. #creativeandexperientialtherapist #arttherapistart #healingthroughart #artheals #arthelps

Rooted Spine by Rae Sabine Pain settles like soil slow and certain the spine becomes earth and earth becomes spine Each curve a memory each joint a flame growth shaped by stillness strength grown from ache Bound to ground yet always rising the body learns to bloom in restraint #ankylosingspondylitis #chronicpainart #arttherapistart #arttherapist #arttherapistlife #arttherapistsart

Love Apart by Rae Sabine Two people shaped by love, trying to mirror each other, but life and misunderstanding bend the reflection so it never quite lands the same way. This piece reflects my relationship with my father, the red spiral, who passed away just over a month ago. Painting it helped me hold the beauty, the ache, and the gaps. Grief is rarely tidy. It lives in the messy spaces between connection and separation. May we all find ways to hold both love and what cannot

Reassembled Self by Rae Sabine This collage reconstructs a childhood image by replacing the original head and comfort object with my current self and Shōga (his expression makes me giggle). Keeping the same childhood body and pose supports continuity and integration, inviting connection between past and present versions of self. Surrounded by the colours of the non-binary flag, the work explores identity, self-recognition, and the reclaiming of personal narrative through imag

Shōga’s Green Kingdom by Rae Sabine Green leaves frame Shōga’s face so still Bright green eyes locked with curious will Quiet king peeks through the green no sound at all in his leafy scene One paw lifts slow and sly then crash Pot plant says goodbye #shōga #shōgacat #creativetherapist #arttherapistart #gingercatart

Echoes Along the Yellow Road by Rae Sabine Two houses. Two yellow roads. At first glance, almost the same. The strange thing about repetition is how quickly the body thinks it knows the way. Roads can feel familiar before I have even arrived. Almost rehearsed. Almost remembered. And still, the houses are not the same. Each one holds its own structure, its own quiet complexity. This became a reflection on the pull to assume sameness and the discipline of staying curious. A rem

Self-Portrait in Green by Rae Sabine This abstract self-portrait was created in response to a prompt from supervision: to paint what “not nice Rae” looks like. Rather than depicting a recognisable face, the piece explores identity through colour, movement, and texture. Vibrant strokes of green dominate the canvas, echoing the presence and motion of my bright green hair. The painting reflects raw energy and presence: shaved sides catching the light, vibrant strands whipping fr

Unmasked Intensity by Rae Sabine This piece developed over several art therapy sessions as I explored representing my neurodivergent experience. On corrugated cardboard, I painted thousands of bright orange watercolour marks first, then layered two purples to form the violet field over them. The orange pushes through in places, glowing luminously where it emerges, settling into the ridges and valleys. These clusters reflect how sensations, thoughts and details arrive all at o

Bracketing (In)(Out) by Rae Sabine This piece emerged after an art therapy supervision session, a raw and messy reflection on bracketing in or out my identity as a chronically ill therapist and supervisor. The heavy black brushstrokes represent bracketing out my illness during sessions, pushing it aside and containing it so I can hold space fully for participants. They feel jagged and storm like, mirroring how chronic illness intrudes and demands ongoing management. Beneath t

Ginger fluff on swirling blue. Bright green eyes wide and new. One paw silly dipped inside, ginger king with playful pride. Shōga’s Tissue Box by Rae Sabine #creativeandexperientialtherapist #arttherapistart #artpsychotherapistart #artstherapistart #pacfacounsellor

Ankylosing spondylitis breaks me from inside. Marrow burns, spine clenches, vertebrae grind in the dark. Pelvis locks, shoulders weld, neck rusts. Each twist chisels bone. I curl, black ink on bleeding red, a seed splitting open, not to bloom but to bleed. Yet my pulse stitches the wound, one beat at a time. Splintered Seed by Rae Sabine #ankylosingspondylitis #chronicpainart #arttherapistart #arttherapist #arttherapistlife #arttherapistsart

I recently drew this portrait of my cat Shōga’s paw, capturing the soft toe beans and fluffy surrounding fur. The process was deeply therapeutic, promoting mindfulness through repetitive strokes and careful observation that quieted my mind and reduced stress. Simple, focused drawing of something beloved can be a powerful tool for relaxation. Shōga’s Fluffy Paw by Rae Sabine #shoga #shōga #shōgacat #arttherapistart #arttherapistsart #creativeandexperientialtherapist

When Gender Happens to Me by Rae Sabine Gender is often something that happens to me. It arrives in the weight of words, in expectations I never asked for. It lands on me like a borrowed coat that never fits quite right. #arttherapist #arttherapistart #arttherapistlife #arttherapist #nonbinaryartist #nonbinaryart